Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is one of the leading bacterial pathogens causing illness and death among young children, the elderly, and persons with certain underlying medical conditions (1). Pneumococci are often part of the normal nasopharyngeal flora, especially in young children. Pneumococcal colonization is an important risk factor: children colonized with S. pneumoniae more often develop acute otitis media than children who are not colonized (2-5).